Grave Site Church of England Section 4, Row 3 Plot 63

Maynard Wright was the Quarry Supervisor at Gosford Freestone Quarries, it is not unsual for people in the Stone masonry Business to have the largest monument in the graveyard… apparently size does matter.

The first mention of Vincent Wright in the local Gosford newspaper. is in 1926, after he has a rather unfortunate accident aged 6 years.

14 January, 1926

Vincent, the young son , of Mr.Maynard Wright’ (of Gosford Freestone Quarries), spent -a very painful and trying Christmastide in Nurse Flicketts’ Private Hospital.
His little schoolmates will remember his being present to receive his gift from ‘Father Xmas’ at the School’s Annual Speech Day.
The following morning his younger brother rose, earlier than he, procured a box of matches, and set fire to the cot iu which Vincent was sleeping.
The latter, when awaking and finding the bed on fire, childlike rolled himself up in ‘the bedclothes; and before he could be rescued from the burning clothesj he was very seriously burned about the head, arms, and ears, and the last named are likely to be disfigured for life.
Medical aid was immediately summoned, and the sufferer was driven to the hospital, where, under kind and skillful attention he is now out of danger, with hopes of an early return home.

Vincent Wright, Quarryman, Died 2nd March, 1940, aged 20 years. The following is an event that happened in an era before seat belts and .05 alcohol limits and a way of measuring it. The accident site is near the big round a bout/ MedicalCcentre at North Gosford, where the creek is.

 Unless otherwise stated all newspaper referrals are from the Gosford Times and Wyong District Advocate (1906 – 1954)

5 March 1940

One Dead and Four Injured In Tragic Motor Smash Party Was Returning From Ourimbah Dance

A young man is dead and four others are more or less seriously injured as the result of a motor accident on the Pacific Highway a mile north of Gosford, on Friday night.

DEAD: Vincent Donald Wright, 20, quarry employee, third son of Mr. and Mrs. Maynard Wright, of 20 Gertrude Street, Gosford.

INJURED :

Maxwell Hitchcock, 19, quarry employee, of William Street, Gosford (probably fractured skull and lacerations to left temple).

Leslie Carroll, 30 (driver of the car), laborer, married, of Wyoming Road, Gosford (probable internal injuries, concussion, and lacerations).

Joseph Wakeling, 23, truck driver, of Mann St., Gosford (head injuries; probable concussion)

.Jack Hollingsworth, 48, sewer construction worker, of Railway Street, Gosford (severe abrasions, lacerated  wounds, and probably fractured neck).

The accident occurred almost opposite the Maiden’s Brush Roadturn-off, while the vehicle was passing another car.The party had been to Ourimbah, where they attended the Ourimbah Football Club’s dance, and were returning home with Carroll occupying the driver’s seat.

Car Skidded & Overturned Hollingsworth was in, the front seat with the driver and Wright, Wakeling and Hitchcock were in the back seat.  As the car came level with the turn-off, the driver pulled out to pass another car, got into some loose gravel and skidded.

It was brought back on to the road, where it skidded again and overturned.

Thrown Out The five occupants were thrown out and the car smashed its way through some light scrub until it struck a tree. Residents nearby, who heard the crash, ran out in their night attire and rendered first aid, while others communicated with the District Ambulance, which was quickly on the scene.

Died On Way To Hospital Wright, who was still alive, was ‘taken to Newcastle in the Ambulance in company with Carroll, Hitchcock, and Wakeling. He was so seriously injured, however, that he died before the Ambulance reached Newcastle.

The other occupants were taken on and admitted to the Newcastle Hospital. Carroll and Hitchcock are still reported to be in a serious condition. Refused Medical Attention Hollingsworth left last night for ‘Newcastle Hospital, where be will undergo an x-ray examination of his neck, which may be fractured. He refused to allow a doctor to treat him for any of his wounds, one of which is a deep cut across the upper portion of his leg.

5th March 1940

Dead Youth’s Funeral

The funeral of Vincent Wright took place on Sunday, when the remains were buried’ in the Church of England portion of the Point Clare cemetery, where the Rev. H. B. St.John, of Gosford, conducted the burial service.

One impressive feature was the Presence of a large number of the dead boy’s friends. One of the mourners counted 58 of them, and a number formed a guard of honor at Creighton’s funeral chapel.

Fellow employees of Freestone Quarries, Ltd., the Messrs D. Gow,R. Owens, L. Rowe, and F. Grieves, acted as pall-bearers.

Chief mourners were: Mr and MrsMaynard Wright (parents); Messrs M. Wright, S. Wright and C. Wright(brothers) ; Mr and Mrs Vernon Wright (uncle and aunf); Mr and Mrs E; Power, of Gladesville (uncle and aunt) ; Miss O’Donnell, of Hunter’s Hill (aunt) ;

Mr; D. Gow (representing the directors of Freestone Quarries, Ltd.).Amongst the wreaths received were the following: Mother, Father, Brothers and Sisters;

Directors ofFreestone Quarries, Ltd.; Employees of Freestone Quarries, Ltd.; Mr and Mrs. Chris Smith and Mrs. Tidley the Boys of B Company, Rutherford Camp; Mr and Mrs Judge and Cluck;

Betty Creighton and Pupils; Mr and Mrs Claude Earl; Mr and Mrs D. Gow and Rosemary ; the 2GB Happiness Club; His Mates (from his mates in Gosford ) ; the Quarrymen’s Union; Mr and Mrs S. Hall; Mr and Mrs C. E. Ingram; Mr and Mrs J. L. Frazer; Mr and Mrs. C. Wakeling; Mr and Mrs Pink and family; Mr and Mrs A. ‘Gallard; Mr and Mrs F. O’Dea and family; Mr and Mrs W. Beattie and family; Private Wakeling and Private S. T. Martin; Mrs Carroll and family; Mrs Garrett and Charlie Garrett; Mr and Mrs R. H.Creighton and family;

Mr and Mrs R. Ingram; Mr and Mrs F. Barker; Mr and Mrs Herb. Wells and family; Mr and Mrs Bob Bailey; Mr and Mrs Nick Little; Mr and Mrs Blakely and family; Mr and Mrs W. Patterson; Mr and Mrs M. Hitchcock and family; Mr Ron Dibben; Thel and Aussie/ Wakeling and family; His Gosford Mates .Around Town; Mr and Mrs. M. Shakespeare; His Mates; MrH. Starkey and family; His  Mates; Mr and Mrs Pat Ward; Mr J. Wakeling; Six of His Mates; Mrs Hattley and family; Mrs Pryor (Lisarow).

Gosford Times and Wyong Advocate

5 April 1940

ACCIDENTAL DEATH VERDICT

Youth Killed In Highway Tragedy

A verdict of accidental death was returned by the Newcastle Coroner (Mr. Chiplin) at the Gosford Court House on Wednesday, when he conducted an inquiry into the death of Vincent Donald Wright, 20, quarry employee, of Gertrude Street, Gosford, who was killed, when a motor car overturned on the Pacific Highway, near Wyoming, on March I.

Evidence was given that the driver of the car, Leslie Carroll, laborer, of Gosford, had been taken to the Newcastle Mental Hospital, after he recovered from his injuries, and certified as insane. Later he was placed in the Morisset Mental Hospital where he has remained ever since.

In commenting on the case, the Coroner -said:, ‘This is a very sad and tragic happening. Unfortunately, there are a great number of these road accidents, and last year at (Newcastle I heard on an average of one a week; That is 52 deaths in one year, and I can tell you it is pretty awful.’ There is no doubt in this case that these men went out to this dance and some of them had more drink, than they , should have had.

The driver, Leslie Carroll’ had a good many beers and i have to take the evidence of the, driver of the car he was trying to pass at the time of the accident. He said that Carroll’s car passed him several times along the road on the way hack from the dance.

Was Car Driver Drunk?

Carroll couldn’t have been incapable of driving the car, and there is no evidence that he was really drunk. The question of whether a man is drunk or not is a big one.

On the evidence before me, I can’t say that this man who was driving the car was drunk, but he certainly had some liquor’.’Apparently, these chaps go to these dances occasionally to have a jolly.

 They have drink, but they don’t consider the unfortunate girls with whom they dance.’ It I was to commit Carroll for trial on a charge of manslaughter, I would first have to find that he had been criminally negligent — that he had driven wildly, recklessly.

The only evidence I have before me in the case of Wright, the boy who was killed, is that he was a teetotaller.

Coroner’s Verdict

Mr. Chiplin found that Wright died in an Ambulance wagon  at Newcastle on March 2 as the result of injuries he sustained on the same night on the Pacific Highway when a motor car in which he was a passenger skidded and overturned. Maynard James Humphrey Wright,of Gertrude Street, Gosford, who is the father of the dead youth, said that his son left home at about seven o’clock on the night of March 1 to go to the pictures.

Witness did not see him again. At3 o’clock next morning he received a telephone message from the Gosford Police. Donald Vincent Wright was born in Queensland on October8, 1919. He was 20 years of age at the time of his death and had a small sum of money put away in the Commonwealth Bank.

Identified Body

David Gow, engineer, of Gertrude Street, Gosford, gave evidence that he had known the youth for 10 or 11years. He identified the body at the Gosford morgue on the day following the accident.

Joseph Henry Wakeling, lorry driver, of William ‘Street, Gosford, who was in the car when’ it overturned, said that at about 9.30 p.m. he was standing on the Union Hotel corner, Gosford, when Carroll drove up in his car and asked hi m to come tor a drive to Ourimbah. Wright and a youth named Maxwell Hitchcock were standing nearby, and they were also asked to come to Ourimbah.

Cask Of Beer And Bottles In Car

The three entered the car and proceeded towards Ourimbah*.In the back of the car witness saw a cask of beer and a paper bag containing a number of bottles of beer. When the car stopped outside the dance at Ourimbah, Wakeling  had two drinks of beer and lemonade with Carroll, and then went into the dance.

On several occasions during ‘ the night he saw, Carroll drinking near the hall.

 A Witness left the hall in the car with the rest of the party some time after the last dance.

Carroll drove at a fast speed all the way home, and on several occasions witness said to him, ‘Be careful or you will tip us over.

Driver Was Drunk

By the Police: ‘What was Carroll’s condition at this time?’Witness: ‘He was drtmk  and driving very fast. ‘When they had gone about a mile and a half, witness observed another car, which he knew belonged to a man named Starkey. He saw the car again as they were passing (Stevenson’s garage, at Wyoming. It was travelling at 40miles an hour and Carroll was attempting to pass it when his car’ overturned.

Too Drunk To Know Who Drove Car

Jack Hollingsworth, who lives at Railway St., Gosford, said that when the dance finished he was very drunk, and did not know who drove the car back towards Gosford. Witness said he remembered nothing until he came-to, to find himself sitting in the middle of the road. Stanley Manfred Starkey, labourer, of Erina Street, Gosford, said he was driving the car referred to by previous witnesses. Carroll’s car left the dance a short time before he himself left in his own car. He passed Carroll’s car about a mile south of Ourimbah and at that time Carroll seemed to be driving quite normally. Car Overturned In Cloud Of Dust The next time he saw Carroll’s car was near the garage where the accident occurred. He saw the lights approaching from behind, the car pulled out to pass him, skidded, swerved back to the left-hand side of the road, and overturned in a cloud of dust. Witness pulled his car up and went back to investigate. Three men were lying in the middle of the road and Hollingsworth was standing up nearby, striking matches.

Witness then went and informed the police. Dr. J. W. Smith, of Mayfield, who conducted a post mortem examination of Wright’s body at Newcastle, said in evidence that there was no trace or smell of alcohol about the deceased. Death was due to shock and internal hemorrhage.

Maynard Wright, (Father of Vincent) Stone Mason and Quarry Master at Gosford Quarries, Died 9th January, 1944, aged 56 years.

1940 was an eventful year for the Wright Family, in December 1940 Maynard stands for election on the Local Council. Maynard died within four years of Vincent.

Exert dated, 17 December 1940

Election Publicity.

MAYNARD WRIGHT

In the list of candidates for Municipal honours there is a wide variety of trades and prefessions. Amongst them is a quarry manager and engineer in the person of Mr. Maynard Wright.

For the past 16 years, Mr. Wright has been a resident of Gosford. During the greater part of this time he has, been associated with the Freestone Quarries (Gosford) Pty. Ltd. and the Gosford Quarries Pty. Ltd., in an industry which has assumed important dimensions and employs a large number of men.

Prior to coming to Gosford, Mr. Wright was for 14 years engaged in quarrying in Queensland on his own account.

Mr. Wright has on a number of occasions gone out of his way in providing stone for the beautification schemes that have been undertaken in Gosford during the past four years. A case in point is Burns’ Place where Gosford freestone has been utilised with particularly, successful results.
Without his co operation this scheme would have been held up.

Convinced of the great future that lies before Gosford, Mr. Wright is an enthusiastic advocate of town improvement. This is closely allied

with the development of the tourist traffic, which Mr Wright holds should be boosted by the council through advertising and publicity of various kinds.

Mr. Wright’s interests are all in Gosford. It is because he is convinced that his knowledge and ideas for the development of the area will have scope in the local council that he is seeking election.